Спогади Шерлока Холмса

           ’

           "‘Well,"saidI,laughing,‘thereisnoharmdoneexceptthatyoupuzzledmeterribly;soifyou,sir,wouldkindlystepintothewaiting-roomIshallbehappytocontinueourconsultationwhichwasbroughttosoabruptanending.’

           "ForhalfanhourorsoIdiscussedtheoldgentleman’ssymptomswithhim,andthen,havingprescribedforhim,Isawhimgooffuponthearmofhisson.

           "IhavetoldyouthatMr.Blessingtongenerallychosethishourofthedayforhisexercise.Hecameinshortlyafterwardsandpassedupstairs.AninstantlaterIheardhimrunningdown,andheburstintomyconsulting-roomlikeamanwhoismadwithpanic.

           "‘Whohasbeeninmyroom?"hecried.

           "‘Noone,"saidI.

           "‘It’salie!"heyelled.‘Comeupandlook!’

           "Ipassedoverthegrossnessofhislanguage,asheseemedhalfoutofhismindwithfear.WhenIwentupstairswithhimhepointedtoseveralfootprintsuponthelightcarpet.

           "‘Doyoumeantosaythosearemine?"hecried.

           "Theywerecertainlyverymuchlargerthananywhichhecouldhavemade,andwereevidentlyquitefresh.Itrainedhardthisafternoon,asyouknow,andmypatientsweretheonlypeoplewhocalled.Itmusthavebeenthecase,then,thatthemaninthewaiting-roomhad,forsomeunknownreason,whileIwasbusywiththeother,ascendedtotheroomofmyresidentpatient.